American Wheel and Tire's Frank Guevara photographs a vehicle with newly installed black Gianelle wheels at the American Wheel and Tire store in the 11000 block of Northwest Freeway Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013, in Houston.
( James Nielsen / Houston Chronicle ) less

American Wheel and Tire's Frank Guevara photographs a vehicle with newly installed black Gianelle wheels at the American Wheel and Tire store in the 11000 block of Northwest Freeway Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013, in ... more

Photo: James Nielsen, Staff

Black is the new chrome for some car owners

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A growing number of car owners are letting their wheels make a fashion statement: Black is the new chrome.

At Monument Chevrolet in Pasadena, sales of Camaros and Corvettes with wheels finished in black are "hot," dealership owner Carroll Smith said.

Choosing the industrial-looking option over the more traditional shiny one is a way to stand out, said Smith, who got them for his own car, an orange ZR1 Corvette.

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Black wheels already account for at least 50 percent of sales at the spacious American Wheel and Tire store on the Northwest Freeway, and salesman Johnny Phillips said they are poised to "dominate."

Mark Marrufo, assistant vice president of marketing and product development for the Discount Tire chain, said interest in all-black wheels and rims "touches on all vehicle segments out there," including luxury cars and trucks, said.

'The new thing'

The trend is well suited for Houston, where the car is almost an extension of oneself.

The all-black wheel appeal crosses generations and income levels, and its popularity continues to grow each year, Marrufo said, with more styles and finishes, and some car makers are offering black wheels as an option.

"Black wheels are the new thing," said Phillips, who put them on his white 1988 Jeep Cherokee.

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Made by Fuel and named "Revolver," his black wheels have an "outlaw look," Phillips said, with sporty silver details.

The all-black wheel trend seems perfect for Phillips, who said his wardrobe is almost entirely black.

All-black wheels, and custom wheels in general, are mostly a guy thing, said Kit Yarrow, professor of business and psychology at Golden Gate University in San Francisco.

The few men she has talked to about custom car wheels "have really been enraptured by the coolness of an unusual style," she said.

"I remember thinking it was like Prada shoes for your car."

Phillips said he is selling all-black wheels to women, too.

At Discount Tire, a large percentage of custom wheel sales are of either all-black or black with machine finish details, Marrufo said, even though the company offers many other kinds.

"They're really in vogue," said Peter MacGillivray, vice president of events and communication at the Specialty Equipment Market Association, a trade group representing manufacturers, retails and others dealing in specialty parts and accessories for vehicles.

"For a while it was the chrome wheel," said MacGillivray, who likened it to changing fashions in the apparel industry.

'Instant upgrade'

Options include matte black and glossy black finishes, as well as black with red highlights and black with silver machinery detailing, Marrufo said. The wheels are manufactured from cast aluminum and or steel with a powder-coated finish, he said.

Some consumers prefer a gun-metal color and others want something more silvery. But all-black wheels are the most popular, he said.

Marrufo said some BMW, Audi and Mercedes owners go for an extreme look of black-painted body, black wheels and darkly tinted windows.

Car makers have embraced the trend.

The "Midnight Edition" of the Nissan Juke crossover comes with black wheels, for example.

Mopar-brand black wheels are a pricier option for some Wranglers and Grand Cherokees, and they come standard on some special-edition Jeeps, said Chrysler spokeswoman Kimberly Shults.

"Wheels act as an instant upgrade, are easy to install and come in a lot of price points," MacGillivray said. For many people, he added, "the wheel is the first car modification they make."

What they cost

Many all-black car wheels at Discount Tire run from $72 to $99 apiece, Marrufo said, and black truck wheels are often $82 to $100. But owners of higher-end vehicle brands tend to buy TSW-brand wheels for up to $400, he said.